Upper Deck Goes Digital

Although there might not be a NFL season in 2011, Upper Deck has taken their training card game to the next level. The brand has officially unveiled its "Evolution" video trading cards, which will appear inside packs of football cards starting on April 12.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, Cowboys QB Tony Romo, Eagles WR DeSean Jackson and 49ers LB Patrick Willis will be featured in the initial release, which include video footage from the players' collegiate days.

"From the onset, it was important to us that this new insert was a trading card first, otherwise it would just be a video player," said Jason Masherah, Upper Deck's vice president of Marketing. "The cards are built like our premium booklet trading cards with a video monitor built into the card. The beauty behind these cards is that they are self-contained. You don't need any other gadgets or a computer to play them. You simply open the cover and press play. A video screen with 60 seconds' worth of highlight reel footage of the player immediately starts playing. The card also has a port so it can be recharged as well."

Upper Deck is currently running a series of "Evolution" banner ads and has created a special landing page devoted to the product's debut next month. Check out a quick video teaser for the "Evolution" launch below.